5 Reasons why Otis and Mandy Rose will be 2020's breakout stars

Otis and Mandy Rose are on the path to greatness

Otis is one of the most beloved WWE Superstars today, and rightfully so!

With the charm of a true, old school, big guy pro wrestler, Otis (real name: Nikola Bogojevic) is highly skilled in shoot wrestling as well. He’s a former amateur wrestler who won a bronze medal in the Greco-Roman Wrestling realm at the 2014 Pan-American Championships.

On the other hand, Mandy Rose has a long history of having worked as a fitness model and bodybuilder, before transitioning to the world of professional wrestling-based sports-entertainment as a WWE Superstar.

So, now that we’ve gotten the formality of reminding you about their respective backgrounds out the way, the question that we’re faced with is what exactly makes Otis and Mandy so gosh darn likable?

Today, we examine the case of Otis and Mandy – the unlikely WWE couple that has lately captured the imagination of pro wrestling fans worldwide…To be specific; in the following discussion, we aim to break down (no pun intended) why Otis and Mandy will be 2020’s breakout stars…

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article belong to the writer and doesn't necessarily represent Sportskeeda's stand.

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#5 “Innocence” – The Otis and Mandy romance storyline is different from most others in pro wrestling

Innocence is what sets this story apart from the others

One professional wrestling romance storyline that has been the recipient of a truckload of hate and ridicule in recent times is that of Rusev, Lana and Bobby Lashley.

Now I don’t mean to castigate any of the performers or creative contributors responsible for bringing the aforementioned Rusev-Lana-Lashley storyline to life, but on the contrary, I’d like to note that there have been worse romantic storylines that we as pro wrestling fans have witnessed over the years.

Nevertheless, it was around the same time (in late-2019) that the Otis and Mandy Rose romance angle started blossoming. Bear in mind that Otis and Mandy had been exchanging pleasantries, with more than a fair share of awkward exchanges sprinkled in, well before December of last year; but it was only a couple of months back that their segment truly took off, so to speak, as an on-screen main roster WWE storyline.

What makes the Otis and Mandy romance storyline different than most others in pro wrestling is the indisputably innocent portrayal of two Superstars who seem to like each other.

“Aha! Innocence – That’s the word you’ve been looking for all this time”, I thought to myself while catching up on the February 14th, 2020 episode of SmackDown. Otis’ earnestness in his pursuit of his “beautiful peach” (his words, not mine!), and Mandy’s willingness to give the bumbling Otis a chance to communicate with her, lend a quality of “innocence” to this storyline – something that most romance angles severely lack in this day and age…

#4 Mandy Rose is unfazed by criticism and keeps improving.

Mandy Rose's mental fortitude is praiseworthy

A foray into the trucking industry could be a very lucrative venture for any upstart entrepreneur. I know what you’re thinking: What does trucking have to do with Otis and Mandy Rose?

Stay with me, and let’s examine this wryly amusing analogy between the trucking and professional industries.

In your first year as a trucker, you’ll probably have a few mishaps here and there, and if you’re lucky, you’ll end up with nothing more than a few fender benders here and there. Even though you may not be involved in a major accident in your first year (I seriously hope you don’t), you’d still get admonished and take significant pay cuts for the minor accidents you’ve gotten into on duty.

For instance: You may bump into a tree, nudge a streetlight, scrape the side of a small car while backing up your truck into a congested parking lot, or run your truck into a ditch at night…Minor mishaps…The amazing thing about trucking though, is how quickly you can go from being a nervous rookie to a skilled driver navigating city traffic like a hot knife through butter; all within the first year of working as a truck driver.

Now, let’s replace trucking with professional wrestling. The learning curve is somewhat similar. Mandy Rose made her pro wrestling debut in the WWE back in 2015 and received a ton of hate from industry critics as well as some of the ‘hardcore fans’ for being nothing more than a pretty face.

Well, Mandy kept trucking (pun intended) through the hate and improved in leaps and bounds in her first year in the WWE, and while she continues working on her craft and bettering herself, it’s her resilience in the face of unbridled hate and criticism that tells us how determined she is to succeed in the WWE…

#3 Otis and Mandy are blessed with excellent comic timings that complement each other.

Otis and Mandy Rose possess excellent comedy skills

One of the most essential elements of a good comic scene, be it in a sitcom or a movie, is comic timing. While that statement is most definitely true, I’d like to point out that comedy as a genre is more nuanced than good comic timing in general.

The aforementioned comic timing comes from an interesting story idea and obviously good screenwriting to back up the screenplay. The sequence of the comedic scenes, the impact they have on the main characters’ respective trajectories, and many other variables, ultimately determine whether or not the sitcom/movie can tickle the audience’s funny bone.

However, something that constantly stands out in a good sitcom/movie is the comic timing of its main characters. And I’m not just referring to their individual comic timing, but rather talking about how each of the main actors’ individual comic timing complements that of one another.

Otis and Mandy Rose have impeccable comic timing as individual entertainers (PS – In case you disagree with me about Mandy’s comic timing, I’d suggest you watch the old episodes of the YouTube series uploaded by Mandy and Sonya Deville named “Damandyz Donutz” on their personal YouTube channels; here’s a link).

Otis’ hesitance in expressing his feelings for Mandy, and the latter’s hilarious reactions to his acts of friendship, are comedy gold. I must note here that Otis is supremely talented at making the fans laugh both at him and with him – In simple terms, he doesn’t always need to engage in self-deprecating humor to make us laugh, but can simply be humorous with his vast array of unmatched comedic facial expressions…

#2 Character Development

Otis and Mandy Rose know how to present their on-screen characters

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!

Oh, I’m sorry. Does it sound like I’m screaming? If it does then it’s because I am. I’m shouting this point of mine at the top of my lungs. I’ve often spoken about the importance of character development during my time here as a part of the Sportskeeda community.

And I’ll be honest; I’ve always gotten a mixed reaction out of our readers when it comes to this topic. The professional wrestling community is divided over the debate of what ought to be accorded greater significance – character development or the work-rate i.e. in-ring wrestling.

While some fans strongly disagree and claim that work-rate is more important than characters in pro wrestling, others say that the very essence of professional wrestling is the creation and sustenance of interesting characters and storylines. Apart from the aforementioned couple of groups, there are fans who like to meet halfway and agree that a good pro wrestling show requires a healthy balance of both – memorable characters and decent in-ring wrestling.

Otis and Mandy Rose are good in-ring performers, but more importantly, both Superstars know how to get the fans invested in their respective on-screen characters – We care about whether or not Otis can succeed in wooing Mandy Rose – We care about how Mandy will react to being courted by an eccentric man such as Otis – The bottom line is: We care!

At the end of the day, that’s what matters to fans and performers alike. The fans want someone (a WWE Superstar) and something (an entertaining storyline) to make them feel entertained; whereas the Superstars…Well, the motto of our favorite WWE Superstars is to entertain, and establish a connection between their on-screen characters and the WWE Universe…

#1 Otis could be a legitimate threat in the WWE Men’s Division

Otis could be a top star in the Men's Division

I’ve been wanting to write about the following point for quite some time now, not because Otis is the only legitimate shoot wrestler in the WWE (he’s not; the WWE has several other shoot wrestlers such as Brock Lesnar, Bobby Lashley, Dolph Ziggler, etc.), but since no one seems to talk about it.

It’s as though Otis’ amateur wrestling credentials remain buried under a pile of his comic timing, Corey Graves’ hilarious commentary whenever Otis enters the scene, as well as other miscellaneous elements; with the fans only hearing about and watching Otis’ entertaining on-screen antics and endearing personality.

I could be wrong on this; I’d love to be, but Otis’ shoot wrestling credentials seem to be something that even the man himself seems to have forgotten. I’d like to see Otis display some of his older mat wrestling techniques on the main roster, just like he used to when he first started off as a WWE performer in NXT.

Make no mistake about it; Otis is a physically gifted athlete, and although he may not look as muscular and ripped as most other WWE Superstars, Otis is surprisingly agile for a man his size. That agility combined with his rich amateur wrestling background is akin to a goldmine that’s yet to be explored by the WWE.

With the right build-up – a few squash match victories, a notable PPV win against a high profile opponent, etc. – and by letting his amateur wrestling background shine, the WWE could turn Otis into a legitimate threat in the Men’s Division from this point moving forward.

Would you like to see Otis and Mandy Rose reach the top of the WWE food chain as 2020’s breakout stars? Sound off in the comments!